A Long Time Coming
by LadyDevilBlessed
Summary: Rated M for Language, Sex content. Ruffie. Set in 0011 Post DC. Rufus and Yuffie had history during the Wutai War and after, but lost contact due to his arrest. Now with both of them older and the world settled, can they have an adult relationship? What kind of problems will keep them apart and how will they overcome it?
1. Chapter 1

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Current year is 0011, one year after the events of DoC. Yuffie is 20 years old, Rufus is 29 years old.

Due to the convoluted timelines of all canon sources, some inaccuracies will be present. I had a much simpler story in mind, but due to all the available information, readers will please be lenient on some mistakes. I have only played 7, DoC, watched AC, read (a long time ago, once) On the way to a Smile: Yuffie and Shinra. All other info is taken from brief research and overviews. Hopefully, you all can still enjoy this bit of romantic interlude between Yuffie and Rufus!

Chapter One:

"Waddaya mean _I_ have to go?" Yuffie griped to Reeve. She paced the floor of the WRO leader's office and scowled at the man behind the desk. "I'm a field agent. I'm an operative. I do not do… this."

"Stop waving your arms at my office, Yuffie. You'll open your wounds," Reeve scolded the ninja, eyeing her bandaged forearms. "And by 'this', I assume you mean office work?"

"I'm no paper pusher and I'm not your damn secretary. Send Cait. He can do it," Yuffie huffed and sent a kick to the robot who was trying to feel up her legs.

"No can do, Lassie. You were asked for specifically," Cait told her with a waggle of his finger and tail. "And you declined medical leave, so it's desk duties for you!"

Yuffie clicked her tongue at the cat and kicked his crown off his head. As the robot scrambled to retrieve it, Yuffie crossed her arms, winced at the pull on her fresh cuts, and put her fists to her hips instead.

"It's a simple enough request, Yuffie. We just need to agree on the design, budget, and schedule for laying electric wire to the new village. You won't even be dealing with President Shinra directly," Reeve tried to persuade the girl. Even though she was only twenty, she was head and shoulders above the capabilities of many employees of the WRO. Not in height, though.

She made up for her lack of stature with her personality. Yuffie never did anything in halves. Whatever it was, she put her whole being into it. Whether it was fighting back an invasion of red dragons in Icicle Inn to surfing competitions in Costa del Sol. She loved fiercely and hated intensely. And it was her hatred for Rufus Shinra that was the cause for her stubbornness in refusing the work order.

"No."

"Then you have to go on medical leave."

"No."

"Then go to the meetings at Shin-Ra. You just have to be there. Melissa and Damion are in charge of this project. You can just sit there."

Sighing, Yuffie reviewed her options: take medical leave and spend three weeks bored out of her skull; or attend stupid meetings where there was a high chance of seeing the scourge of Gaia, and possibly reopening her wounds in any attempts to throttle him.

Boredom lost.

"Fine. I'll attend. But, I'm not participating in the project. I will give no opinion, no support, nothing. Got it?" Yuffie glared at her triumphantly beaming superior. "Wipe that grin off your face, Reeve, you look like a god-damn 2-Faced like that."

"You should watch your language, young lady," Reeve called after her as she stalked out the door. As she muscled through it, he yelled, "Thank you! You're a real lifesaver, Yuffie!"

"I was an actual lifesaver in the field, dumbass," Yuffie grumbled to herself as she walked through the halls of the upper levels of the WRO headquarters. She went to the staircase and hopped her way to the floor below and went to her small office. Arguing with Reeve had taken a while and she wanted to finish her report before lunch.

Opening the file on her computer, Yuffie silently bemoaned the strain on her sore arms as she clacked her way through her report. Incidentally, the paperwork she was filling was the mission that gave her the large gashes on her arms.

"Yuffie."

"Heya, Vince," Yuffie replied, not even fazed by his silent entrance. Stealthy he may be, but Yuffie had a camera on her doorway with a livestream on her computer screen. So, even hidden behind her monitor, the gunman could not catch her off guard anymore. She learned her lesson quickly after obtaining her own workspace and he made her leap out of her chair the first time he visited.

"How are your injuries?" Vincent Valentine swept into the office, his imposing presence filling the small space with a serene stillness.

"Terrible. It's fine. I haven't busted a stitch or anything." Yuffie saved her progress on her computer and gave her full attention to her companion. "How's the kid?"

"Shaken, but physically fine. Most of the blood was yours. Minor injuries only, but the doctors worry about the trauma."

"That is understandable," Yuffie commented. It wasn't ever day a kid got attacked by a stray Behemoth in the Midgar ruins. "Will you let me know if I can be of help? I don't wanna stress the kid out if the doctors think me visiting will trigger an episode."

"I will inform the doctors of your availability." Vincent then fell silent and stared at Yuffie, who waited patiently for him to speak again. "Reeve said you were unusually resistant to his request. Do you really hate Shin-Ra Company that much?"

"You know the history. I've told you the personal cost, too," Yuffie whispered, knowing he could hear. "It's not just the company."

"You hate Rufus Shinra?" Vincent could not recall any specifics over their adventures together that would create a personal grudge of such intensity.

"Urk," Yuffie fake retched at the sound of Rufus' name. "Why are you so concerned about this, Vinnie? You've got nothing to do with this project."

"You seem upset," he offered, but shrugged in counterbalance to his affection.

"I'll get over it," Yuffie gave a shrug of her own. Changing the subject, Yuffie looked at the clock and offered, "I'm gonna grab some lunch; wanna join?"

Thinking of the noisy, crowded cafeteria downstairs made Vincent's eyes squint ever so imperceptivity. But Yuffie caught it.

"Can you walk me down, then? I'm starving and I won't be able to finish my report before passing out from hunger." Yuffie stood and stretched gingerly. Though the claw gouges on her arms were the only bloody injury, her muscles were also sore from the beating she received from the particularly violent Behemoth.

"We can't have that," Vincent agreed with dry humor and held the door open for her to pass through first.

"I know, Reeve is such a Marlboro if reports aren't done properly," Yuffie joked as she sauntered out. She chatted aimlessly as they walked seven flights of stairs down before bidding Vincent good bye and good luck on his next mission. Then she maneuvered her way through the madness of the WRO canteen. At least she could still use her ninja skills for something.

Author's Notes:

Thanks for reading Chapter One of 'A Long Time Coming'! Reviews always welcome!


	2. Chapter 2

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-Enix, etc.

Thank you to my early reviewers! You make me so happy!

Chapter Two:

"She agreed?"

"Yes, President. There is a meeting scheduled for Thursday, here," Tseng consulted his calendar unnecessarily. The Turk knew all the information, but it was a habit he employed so normal people did not get unnerved by his ability for perfect memorization and retention.

"Clear my schedule."

"Already done, President. Are you sure you want to see her on the first meeting? She might not take it well."

"Of course, I'm sure. And she'll be angry no matter when I see her." Rufus Shinra ran his hand through his hair, noting that it was getting a little too long. His work kept him busy and he kept putting off his barber appointment, but if he was going to see Yuffie, he thought maybe he should squeeze it in. "Hey, Tseng-"

"I'll see when Lucillio is available before Thursday," Tseng finished and started dialing for the barber as he left Rufus' office.

"Five years… No, eight, since I last spoke with Yuffie." Rufus swiveled in his chair to stare out the window over Edge. "I bet she hates me."

He returned to his work on his desk with a sigh, but spent another moment looking at the single pressed white rose he had framed on his table. Eight years ago, he had fucked up. He had failed to say the words he now carried with shame. It was nearly two years since he last saw her, fighting Bahamut summoned by Kadaj with the rest of AVALANCHE. They lived in the same city, worked in the same district, but never ran into each other. If Fate was real, she was not on Rufus' side.

Fate was not on Yuffie's side either. As soon as she sent off her mission report, a clerk brought in a cart of old files for Yuffie to review.

"What is this?" Yuffie peeled back a cardboard lid.

"Shin-Ra reports on city production. Director Tuesti was Head of Urban Development back in the day. He said this will be useful information for you, Ms. Kisaragi," the aide replied.

"I'm not doing work on that project," Yuffie grumbled unnecessarily to the man before dismissing him with a begrudging thanks. As she pulled out a stack of papers, Yuffie wondered, "With Diamond Weapon's attack on Shin-Ra headquarters, how did any of this survive?"

Yuffie had seen first-hand and up close, just how devastating the damage was to the giant skyscraper five years previously. Visceral memories of the soot and smell of fire and blood rushed back to her. A phantom weight of her radio communicator twinged in her palm. She had taken that sector in helping with search and rescue. Cloud, Vincent, and Nanaki had gone after Hojo in his science tower while the other members dispersed over the city to help the citizens get to safety.

Closing her brown eyes, Yuffie recalled a particular memory that had her chest tighten. The stretcher with the blond man, whose suit should have been white, not bloodied red. Her voice cracked when she called for the med-heli and she hated how he affected her then. And how he still affected her now.

Opening her eyes and relaxing her grip on the papers she wrinkled, Yuffie thought how she still hated getting emotionally yanked around by him. When she learned he wasn't dead after he went off the grid for years, or whenever she saw his name in the news, or whenever she used electricity provided by his company. Yuffie was surrounded by Rufus and she hated how she still thought of him at all.

When Thursday arrived, Yuffie stood between Melissa and Damion as they walked up to the Shin-Ra offices. The receptionist had a hard time maintaining a smile when she saw Yuffie's scowl, but assigned visitor passes and called the appropriate party to collect them.

"Ms. Kisaragi, perhaps you should not glare so much," Melissa suggested as they waited in the lobby.

"What, I can't be unhappy? I'm sure the other side knows I'm not here to be helpful." Yuffie tapped her booted foot in irritation. Three minutes had already passed since the receptionist hung up the phone, seven minutes since they entered the building; Yuffie was starting to feel suffocated.

"Thank you for waiting," a man called out as he hustled from the elevator. "I am Marcus. I'll be working with you on this project."

Melissa and Damion introduced themselves and when all eyes turned to Yuffie, she shrugged and said, "Look, I'm just here because I was told to be here, but I'm not participating in anything."

"I know who you are, Ms. Kisaragi. We were informed of your attendance. Please, this way," Marcus led the way up to the meeting room. A colleague of his was setting out materials and tea when they arrived. "We heard Ms. Kisaragi likes green tea, so the President let us serve some from his personal collection. I hope it suits your taste."

"Thank you, Marcus," Yuffie replied and suspiciously looked at the tea. It wasn't Marcus, his colleague, or the tea's fault, but Yuffie took the cup with mild distain and settled into the chair in the corner of the room meant for secretaries and bystanders.

The meeting started and Yuffie found herself able to follow the flow of the conversation even though her skills at the WRO were used for espionage and intelligence gathering. Sipping at her tea, Yuffie figured the reports she read over the previous few days about urban development actually helped.

Thirty minutes into the meeting, the door opened and Rufus stepped in.

"Mr. President!" Both Shin-Ra employees stood in surprise.

"Continue as you were," Rufus said smoothly. He poured himself a cup of tea and brought the pot over to Yuffie's corner. Whispering so as not to disrupt the continuing meeting, Rufus inquired, "Another cup, Princess?"

"Shuddup, go away," Yuffie snarled lowly and curled up into a ball on the chair.

Rufus leaned over anyway and poured more tea into Yuffie's cup. As he looked down, he saw the white bandages wrapping her arms were more than a fashion statement, even though she had them tucked between her chest and raised legs. "What happened?"

Shifting away from his finger that stroked her wrist, Yuffie glared up into his worried blue eyes. "None of your damn business, Mr. President."

"Both arms?"

Hating his proximity, Yuffie stood and put her cup on the table, instead of splashing the contents on the pristine white suit, before walking out of the room. She paced away, just picking a direction in the corridor and trying to put some distance between her and the blond man who she knew was right behind.

"Yuffie."

"Don't you dare say my name with familiarity," Yuffie spun and spat her words out. Now that they were alone and free from close bystanders, Yuffie did not hide behind polite whispers. Blood pumped hard in her veins and she felt her injuries twitch at the strain she put on them to ball up her fists.

A look of pain flickered over Rufus' face as he stared down at her. She was always so short. Having nine years separating them meant Rufus always saw her as a small, young girl. But in their eight years apart, he saw that Yuffie was no longer a child. No longer as innocent or naïve as when they first knew each other. Back before he gave her reason to hate him.

"Your injuries look fresh still. When did that happen?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Yuffie ground out angrily.

"Look, Yuffie, I wanted-"

"You know what? I don't care about what you want. The world doesn't revolve around you anymore. Get over yourself," Yuffie snapped and pushed past him for the elevator. She was going back to the WRO and taking her medical leave. Anything was better than seeing him. Even boredom.

Rufus watched Yuffie leave without any attempt to stop her.

* * *

Author's Note:

Rufus says 5 years, which would be the events of FF7 where they are all together in the Northern Crater before reviving Sephiroth and Diamond Weapon wakes up. But then he corrects himself to 8 years, which would be year0003 when he was put under house arrest.


	3. Chapter 3

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-Enix.

* * *

Chapter Three:

"Why didn't you stop her?"

"Elena, that's enough."

"But, Tseng, he got a haircut and everything. He's been putting it off for a month. The least she could have done was sit through the rest of the meeting," Elena huffed and straightened her jacket.

"Elena," Rufus stopped the bickering between the Turks with his usual tone. "Did you look up what I asked?"

"Yuffie Kisaragi sustained damage to both forearms during a Behemoth attack in Midgar Ruins in attempts to save a civilian child. The hospital didn't give any information, but I overheard things in Seventh Heaven; sounds like she got a number of stitches and is on antibiotics for infections."

"And knowing that her severe injuries are less than a week old, you wanted me to go after her, making her angry, raising her pulse, and knowing her, she'd punch me without holding back, resulting in?" Rufus stipulated.

"Resulting in opening her wounds, creating further damage, scarring, and other medical complications like fever and new infections," Elena answered. Dropping her head, she said, "Sorry, President."

"As long as you know," Rufus sighed, but not out of irritation at the female Turk. To Tseng, he inquired, "When is the next meeting?'

"They're scheduled for Tuesday. But, you don't honestly think she'll come again, do you?"

"No," Rufus pulled his paperwork closer. "I don't."

"Elena, let's get back to work." Tseng shuffled the worried woman out of the office so Rufus could stop pretending to do work.

"Hey, how's he holding up?" Reno was lounging at his desk, feet up and hands behind his head. "I saw the little Princess storm out earlier. She didn't even spare us an insult, right, Rude?"

The sunglasses glinted as the stoic man nodded. Seeing the ninja rush past without acknowledging the Turks' presence at all was suspicious. Normally, her dark gaze would find them anywhere and she would at least glare tiny daggers into them. But she didn't even look up as they passed in the otherwise empty hallway. Rude said, "She looked pale."

"She's always like that."

Rude wondered how Reno could be relied upon with such poor attention to detail.

"Besides, how can you tell, Rude? You're always wearing shades."

"She was also sweating and looked nauseated." Rude shrugged. "And I can tell, she wasn't looking good."

"Should we tell the President?" Elena looked over to the closed door.

"No," Tseng put a hand on Elena's shoulder to reassure her. "Everyone, back to work." He wandered out to the balcony and dialed a number on his phone.

As the sun dipped down, Yuffie trudged into Seventh Heaven and fell into an empty seat at the bar. She had applied for a few weeks of medical leave and that meant Yuffie spent the rest of the day in an unsettling mood.

"Rough day, Yuffs?"

"You can say that. Hit me with the hardest ya got," Yuffie banged her fists onto the bar, making the other patrons' drinks rattle along the surface.

"Here you go, lemon soda." Tifa dropped an ice chunk into a tumbler and poured the carbonated soft drink over it like it was the finest whiskey she had. "You can't have alcohol while you're on antibiotics. You should still be on your pain medication also."

"Oh, bleeeh to your mothering. You think popping out twins makes you know everything, huh?" Yuffie sneered lightly, then apologized. "Sorry, Teef. I don't mean that."

Tifa Strife leaned over the bar, much to the enjoyment of the intoxicated patrons who leered at her breasts, and ruffled Yuffie's growing hair. It was true enough. With Cloud, Marlene, Denzel, and now her twin children, Rosa and Wolfe, she had a hard time turning off 'Mother Mode'.

"Hey, Yuffie, when you're done with your drink, can you go up and help Marlene and Denzel? The twins should still be asleep, but just in case?" Tifa threw the ninja a smile as she went off to fill another order.

Yuffie chugged her soda and winced as the bubbles burned up her nose, before putting the appropriate gil on the table and going around to the stairs to the upper, residential portion of the bar.

"Auntie Yuffie!" Marlene looked up and exclaimed loudly.

"Shh! You'll wake the babies," Denzel grumbled but smiled as he also greeted their guest. "Hey, Yuffie."

"Everything alright?" Yuffie leaned to hear the twins snoring in a darkened bedroom. With the bar noise downstairs every night, the twins could probably sleep through a Weapon attack and only roll over. Turning back to the older children, Yuffie asked, "Doin' schoolwork?"

"I finished, but Denzel has to write a report." Marlene went and fetched a glass of water for Yuffie as she sat down with Denzel.

Yuffie stayed a few hours, during which she helped Marlene fold some laundry.

"Hey, Auntie Yuffie, don't your arms hurt? Tifa said you got injured pretty badly. You should rest."

"It's alright, Marlene. The baby clothes aren't heavy and I don't have to move my arms much," Yuffie reassured the girl with a smile.

"Maybe you should go visit Aerith's church. The water there is sure to help if it's Auntie Yuffie." Marlene beamed widely. For having only met Aerith briefly, the little girl held a strong connection with the flower loving woman from the slums.

"Maybe you're right, Marlene," Yuffie said and absentmindedly petted the girl's braided hair.

"Auntie Yuffie," Marlene turned, "what's bothering you?"

"Hm? Nothing. Why?"

"You only do this," she pointed to her head where Yuffie's hand still resided, "when something is bothering you."

"Oh. Sorry." Yuffie let go and returned to folding socks. "It's… complicated."

Marlene was used to hearing that. When she was younger it was about Barret becoming her father, or about AVALANCHE work, or violence, or money. Then it was about Cloud and Tifa having children. The girl squinted at Yuffie, studying the exposed skin of the ninja's midriff.

"Is Auntie Yuffie going to have a baby, too?"

"No, Gawd no!"

"Shh!"

"Sorry, Denzel." Yuffie turned back to Marlene. "No, Marlene, it's… a different sort of complicated. I'm sorry, but it isn't something I really feel like sharing with anybody." Yuffie had dealt with many children after returning to Wutai after Meteorfall. She knew that sometimes they did not like being treated as children, even if they were.

"I understand. But, Auntie Yuffie, you can talk to any of us if you need to," Marlene reassured her. "Or maybe you should talk with Aerith?"

Glad that Marlene did not take offense, Yuffie agree to talk with someone when she was ready and bid the children a good night. She had a long walk home and a lot to think about.


	4. Chapter 4

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-Enix.

Chapter Four:

Yuffie trudged through the ruins of Midgar in the midmorning sunshine the next day. With a backpack of provisions and a lightweight shuriken strapped to it, she was prepared for a long, lazy day in Aerith's church.

Dust swirled in slow curls through the air as Yuffie shouldered one of the church doors open. The solemnity of the church had Yuffie wondering what deity it served. On Wutai they had their religion with Leviathan and Da Chau and various other nature related deities, but Yuffie never knew the history of Midgar. By the time Aerith started cultivating flowers, the church was already ruins from what Yuffie heard.

"I would not put it past Shinra to kill a religion," Yuffie said quietly as her voice echoed in the empty space. She was talking, not of Rufus, but of the previous President, or an even more previous Shinra ancestor.

The Shin-Ra company had started as a weapons manufacturer before growing into the electrical monopoly that terrorized Gaia. That was why they were able to militaristically destroy their enemies and created SOLDIER with Mako. It was an army that suppressed the citizens in more ways than one. Wiping out the people's faith would have been their first step. Shin-Ra only needed one goddess and it was JENOVA.

Yuffie's boots clunked over the wooden boards on purpose, as if she wanted any spirits to know she was there. Passing the wooden pews, Yuffie dropped off her backpack before kneeling by the pool of clear water.

"Hey, Aerith, Zack," Yuffie greeted as she brushed her fingers over the still water, sending a shiver over the surface. In her solitude, Yuffie didn't mind conjuring up the memory of both flower girl and SOLDIER. It was a secret to everyone that she knew Zack. Not that she was ashamed of knowing him, but unsure on how that knowledge would affect Cloud.

"Yuffie, what _have_ you done to your arms?" an echo filled Yuffie's mind and the water shook even though she no longer touched it.

"Probably saving someone, huh, kid?"

"You know me, Zack! Can't sit still," Yuffie poked the water.

"Then what are you doing here?" Yuffie could practically see his raised eyebrows over his Mako blue eyes as Zack questioned her.

"I wanted to have some girl chat, alright, Mr. First Class Hero? I took some medical leave to heal up. That's all."

"You aren't trying to convince me. You're trying to convince yourself, kid. Welp, I don't need to butt into your 'girl-chat' so Imma gonna go. Bye!"

Aerith's laugh filled the room and sounded like spring rain. "Well, I guess a hero has to be afraid of something. And I think girl talk is it for Zack." There was a green glow in the water before the surface turned crystal clear. What was slightly murky before became so clear the green plants growing along the bottom of the pool looked to be mere inches from the surface rather than the actual depth it was below. "Dip your arms in, Yuffie, it'll help a little."

Unwinding her bandages, Yuffie revealed puffy, red cuts with stitches hold her skin together. The infection left puss and irritation and only by Yuffie's training and restraint did she manage to not scratch it. Lying on her stomach, Yuffie thrust her arms up to her elbows into the tingling water that seemed to oscillate between cool and warm temperatures.

"So, what's really bothering you, sweetie?"

It was almost as if Yuffie could see Aerith's hands in the water, washing her injuries, but when she blinked, she saw it was just the shine of the water and the shadows playing tricks. Swirling her arms, Yuffie sighed, "Rufus Shinra."

"Oh?" Aerith's voice was a balm on Yuffie's soul.

"He, um," Yuffie struggled, "we, ah… have history?"

"What kind of history?"

"Well, you know Wutai and Shin-Ra had a war and well, there was a few times I met Rufus and… ah…" Yuffie twiddled her thumbs underwater. "I was really young and I know he's a lot older and I'm really embarrassed about it now, but we had a relationship!"

"Oh?" Aerith sounded surprised and Yuffie could tell her interest was piqued.

"I guess I was…ten-ish… and Rufus was nineteen. Gawd, it sounds awful. He's a gawd-damn pedo if you ask me. Lolita-complex, cradle-robbing—"

"Yuffie."

"Alright, so I liked him, too! A lot. Ugh," Yuffie slumped forward, her forehead touching the water getting her headband soaked and cooling a headache she didn't realize was growing. Jerking up, she said, "Whatever! I liked him, all we could do was message each other. He helped try to overthrow his father and end the war by giving me information. But then!" Punching the water, Yuffie growled, "Wutai lost, the last time I actually saw him was when we signed the surrender proclamation. He sent me intel on treasures and missions after the war, saying it could help keep Wutai on its feet. Then three years after the war ended that backstabbing bastard abandoned me. The next time I hear _anything_ about him, years later, he's taken over the company and is ten times worse than his old man."

"Aw, Yuffie, I'm sorry, sweetie."

"Yeah, it's stupid, but it still sucks," Yuffie laughed. "Who'da thought, right? Me, liking anyone, let alone Rufus."

"Don't laugh if you want to cry, Yuffie."

The salty tears rolled down Yuffie's nose as she slumped over the edge of the pool. Ripples radiated from where her tears joined the body of water and she wailed, "It's not fair, Aerith. After all this time when I tried so hard just to forget him. To not even feel anything when his name comes up. But I still feel so much. I don't know if it's affection or distain, but I think of him and I'm so emotionally attached to him. It's annoying. He still has so much control over me."

"Have you talked to him?"

"No. I wanted to yell at him, fight him, yesterday, but these," Yuffie lifted her arms, which were looking much less infected, "started to hurt. And I reeeeeally didn't want to bust a stitch over him."

"You saw him?"

Yuffie explained the situation leading up to seeing him.

"He wanted you there. But then he didn't stop you from leaving?" Aerith clarified.

"Yeah! Whadda jerk."

"Yuffie," Aerith paused and the ninja could almost tell the older woman was pursing her lips. "Why do you think he let you leave? After all his manipulations to get you there?"

"I dunno. Cuz he's a jackass?"

"Think harder, Yuffie."

Feeling like she was a student in the dojo again for training, Yuffie pondered until her forehead wrinkled. Given Rufus' recent actions, there was no reason for him to want to call her out in the first place. But according to his stubbornness, he would never just let anything go until it went his way.

"Yuffie, why would Rufus want to see you?"

"To harass me?"

"Then he would not have let you leave so easily."

"I don't know why. We've never really had any real contact, everything we said was through messages. How am I supposed to know what he's thinking? I dunno if I even really know _him_."

"But you're curious, aren't you?"

Hesitating because she didn't want to admit it, Yuffie splashed the water, making the droplets sparkle in the sun.

"Yuffie, why did you come here?"

"I dunno. It… Marlene said you might help."

"With your injuries or your stubbornness?"

"I'm not stubborn."

"Says the stubborn person," Aerith replied promptly. "I think you already know what you want to do, Yuffie. I will just say, on behalf of all our friends, that we support you; whatever you choose. We are here for you."

"Even Cloud? Even Nanaki? Our friends all have reason to despise him."

"And so do you, but you are also capable of loving him. Do you think so poorly of the others that they wouldn't put aside their feelings if you truly liked him?" Aerith's words felt like a finger poking Yuffie's shoulder as she scolded the ninja for taking their relationships so lightly.

"I don't think that of you guys! You're all precious to me and I didn't want to hurt anyone by being selfish and I just… ended up relying on you, Aerith… Sorry."

"Apology accepted," a warm squeeze of water around Yuffie's hand accompanied the voice. "I think you know what to do. Now, take your hands out, your fingers are starting to wrinkle."

"Alright, Mom." Yuffie giggled. "Thanks, Aerith."

There was a wave in the water and when it stilled, the church fell back into its natural silence.

Yuffie sat up, dried and bandaged her arms, and prepared for what she was going to do next.

* * *

Author's Note:

Gawddamn timeline! *shakes fists.


	5. Chapter 5

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Five:

Rufus sat on his bed, staring at the small screen on his phone. His cat, a black stray he picked up as a kitten while Edge was being built, curled up on his chest as Rufus reread an unsent message. The date stamp was from eight years previous. The day he was found aiding the first generation of AVALANCHE and was thrown into house arrest.

Because all his communication devices were confiscated, he hadn't been able to send the message. And because he hadn't, Yuffie hated him; rightfully so. And he hid like a coward and then acted like a pompous ass to make himself feel better, or rather to fill the void that ate his soul and left only the devil inside him.

So, even though he wanted nothing more than to take Yuffie for himself when they met in the Northern Crater, he froze up, hid behind his façade and she did not even indicate she knew him at all.

"Dammit." Rufus snapped the phone shut, wincing as the cat's claws pierced him in reaction to the sudden noise. The phone buzzed and Rufus sluggishly reopened it, expecting some droll work email. Instead, the sender name had him surging up, dislodging the cat, who yowled and scratched at him as he opened the message.

'To Asshat,

'Let's meet. Pick a time and a place you won't be embarrassed getting the shit kicked outta you.

'-Kisaragi.'

Rufus snorted and coughed, trying to cover up the noise before he remembered he was alone in his own home. A smile, a real one, not a smirk, pulled at his lips. She reached out to him on her own. She might not want to talk peacefully, but she was willing to clear the air. Well, maybe not even that much.

Laughing to himself, he wrote that he was available after two o'clock the next day. Even though it was a Saturday, he had a work lunch to attend. After that, even if he wasn't looking forward to a beating, for he was too sadistic to find pleasure in receiving punishments, he was glad for the soonest opportunity to see her.

He sent off the message and waited an hour, then two, for a reply before falling asleep, clutching his phone.

Across town, Yuffie sat on her bed and contemplated the return message.

"His house?" Scratching her head, she thought, "Maybe I shoulda told him to meet me outside of town. His house puts me at a disadvantage. I'm gonna scout it in the morning when he's out."

Flopping back, Yuffie pulled up an archived draft message that she kept for some odd reason. She had written it after he stopped messaging her. It would have been the first time she sent him a message, but she had chickened out. She had convinced herself that he was heartless and bored of her. After all, she was just a kid. He was an adult, and as she found out later, an asshole.

Now she could meet him on even grounds. She wasn't young or naïve anymore. A cute face and dreamy ideals of working together was not going to faze her a second time. And that was what she repeated to herself as she check her knives under her pillow before going to sleep.

The next morning, Yuffie meandered into the outskirt residential district where the housing units were more spread apart and some buildings were even stand-alones with yards. There wasn't anything growing in the yards, but there was a sense of openness.

"Looks empty," Yuffie mused and sauntered to the edge of the property before hopping the low fence and sneaking up to the windows. "Gawd dammit, he's got cameras."

Yuffie aborted and leapt over to a neighboring roof. Pulling out a pair of binoculars, she peered at what she could see through the windows. Sparse furniture was all she could see through the window in the front door. All the other windows were closed tightly with opaque curtains to deter people from doing exactly as she attempted.

"Well, some information is better than no information," Yuffie mused as she mapped out the basic shape of the building and leapt down to return home for the rest of the morning.

"Is there something wrong, President Shinra?"

"No, sorry, it was nothing," Rufus said as he pocketed his phone. "Home alarm system picked up a stray cat that triggered the video feed."

"I know what you mean. I can barely sleep a wink when they decide to have a concert behind my home. Yowling into all hours of the night."

"They can be a handful," Rufus chuckled before returning their conversation back to business.

When two o'clock rolled around, Rufus was at home. Water was boiled, tea prepped, snacks set out, and all his knives and guns well hidden. He even put the cat into the bedroom and closed him in.

He waited. Paced the rooms. Stared out the windows. Checked his phone. Reboiled the water.

"Man, it's kinda boring in here."

"Shit!"

Rufus grabbed a towel to mop up the boiling water that splattered on the counter before it could spread. There was the unnecessarily loud rasp as Yuffie dragged out a chair before falling into it. As he turned around, Rufus winced as Yuffie slammed first one heel onto the dining table before her second crossed over the first. He knew she did it to annoy him, the dirty shoes on the table, but she didn't seem to realize that it gave him a delightful view of the long exposure of her toned legs.

"Welcome to my home, Yuffie." Rufus poured her a cup of tea and set it before her.

"Looks more like a prison." Yuffie took the cup and slurped through the scalding liquid unperturbed by the temperature.

Scanning the ground floor that consisted of the kitchen, dining, and living areas, Rufus noted that it was sparse. Professional was the official term, as his confinement rooms in Junon were described. He kept that style in the public rooms downstairs. Absentmindedly, he sipped his tea and winced as he burned his tongue.

"Nyuk nyuk," Yuffie laughed mockingly at his pain.

He bore both her amusement and his pain silently. To Yuffie's credit, she still had not attacked him directly. And she could have, very easily, stabbed him in the back before he even knew she was in the house.

"Another." Yuffie put out her cup and waited for the one-time ruler of the world to pour her more tea. As a one-time princess, she was accustomed to asking other people to do things for her; even though it was more than ten years since she asked anyone for something as simple as tea.

As Rufus poured and pushed her back her tea, he studied Yuffie. At twenty, she had bloomed from an adorable girl into a beautiful woman. She still retained her cute pixie facial features, but her childish profile was subtly smoothed into adult curves. And that wasn't just her face. Her entire body, although battle ready, was definitely one of a full-fledged woman. Small, but noticeably presented breasts were covered by a short tank top with traditional Wutain patterns printed on the fabric. Her slim waist was exposed, like it had been since before Meteorfall, then Rufus could see light tan shorts. Short laced boots that graced his tabletop had heavy treads to help her maintain grip on all types of surfaces, both horizontal and vertical ones.

"I'm glad… other than your recent injury, that you look to be doing well, Yuffie."

"And how do you suppose that?" Yuffie snagged a rice cracker from the bowl on the table and bit it, filling the room with abrasive crunching.

"Well, I know life was never easy for you, but even so, you're here with all your limbs, your sight, healthy teeth," he waited as she plowed through another cracker, "and appetite. You've grown well, physically, and well, I know mentally, you're still sharp and able to function on your own."

"And that means I'm doing well?" Yuffie pulled her feet to the ground with a loud 'thunk' and swiveled to sit properly in her chair to peer into Rufus' sea blue eyes. "The same could be said about you, Shinra. From the outside. But are you 'fine' inside, too?"

He wasn't. Memories flooded back of dark caves, the feeling of death all around and in him, drowning in guilt and miasma. The captivity and then the secrecy and the torment he endured both from other and himself. He wasn't fine. He was broken and cracked and barely pieced together to resemble a functioning human. He had no idea what Yuffie had experienced.

"I apologize, Yuffie. It was inconsiderate of me to push my opinion onto you." His blond hair fell forward as he bowed his head to her in respect.

"Argh!" Yuffie yelled in frustration and kicked up, her foot catching the bottom of Rufus' chair between his legs with enough force to jolt it. With a loud sound of disappointment, she growled, "Damn, I missed."


	6. Chapter 6

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Six:

"Missed what?" Rufus panted in shock. If Yuffie's kick hit his leg, he was sure it would break the bone.

"I missed kicking your dick, asshat." Yuffie stood and walked around the table to his side. "I guess I'll have to try again."

Prepping for an axe kick, Yuffie brought up her leg, giving Rufus an accurate idea of the pain to come. He dodged poorly by falling sideways out of his chair to the floor. Yuffie laughed and lowered her foot slowly. Scrambling up and straightening his clothes, Rufus shook himself to limber up. He had anticipated her desire to attack him, and she proved him correct as she stepped closer to him, her boots silent as she went into her full ninja mode.

"Don't you think I deserve at least one hit? I mean, you duped a twelve-year old."

"I didn't mean to loose contact with you, Yuffie. I never intended on getting caught. I tried to help you as much as I could, I didn't want you to get hurt," Rufus pleaded and put his hands up; whether in surrender or defense, he wasn't sure.

"You sent Turks after me," Yuffie swiped at him with claw-like fingers. "I hate Turks."

"Now, I can see you hating Reno, but all Turks? You work with Valentine just fine. Where do you think he got his training?"

A perfect footprint was left on the wall where Yuffie slammed her foot at Rufus' hip level. The scowl on the ninja's face said that Rufus' comment may not have been the right thing to say.

"Sorry, Yuffie." He dropped his hands. "I was worried about you. I sent who I had and didn't think of how you would react, I'm sorry."

Yuffie glared at him. Then lighting fast, her hand launched up and slapped him.

"I'm sorry, Yuffie. For a lot of things."

His head snapped the other way as Yuffie's other hand doled out the second slap.

"I'm sorry I caused you so much pain, but I'm not sorry for loving you."

Yuffie's fist went up and Rufus closed his eyes and braced for the punch, but it never came. Peeking hesitantly, Rufus saw Yuffie cradling her arm.

"Yuffie!" He reached out to touch her. "Did it-"

"No, it's fine. Just hurts a bit." She batted his worried hand away and stepped back. "I hate you."

Rufus sighed, dejected. "I understand."

"Ugh," Yuffie kicked his leg lightly, "I said, I hate you."

"I know. I heard you. But, that doesn't mean that I hate you." Rufus smiled at her stubborn expression. "I still love you, even if you don't feel the same about me."

"Ugh, loli-perv," Yuffie grumbled, trying to unnerve him.

"Yes, probably. Though, I never thought of taking you as my lover until you were older," Rufus mused. "But having those thoughts would also put me in that 'loli-perv' category, I suppose."

"You what?" Yuffie's frown was now less in irritation and more in confusion.

"Now that isn't really a problem. We're both adults. I can pursue you properly," Rufus' voice purred as he took a slow step forward.

"But I hate you." Yuffie scooched back, warily on the defensive. She still had the upper hand when it came to hand-to-hand combat, but men became dangerous predators when that got that gleam in their eyes.

"I am confident in my power of persuasion. Feelings can change. I am patient."

"Too patient," Yuffie accused.

"Probably," Rufus agreed. He pulled out his phone. "I'm going to show you something."

"Better not be dick pics."

"Really? If I wanted you to see, I would not offer a picture, Yuffie."

"Harassment," Yuffie proclaimed.

"Assault," Rufus retorted, pointing to his face casually as he opened up his unsent message.

"Yeah, an assault on my sight, gawd," Yuffie fake retched to the side. She knew she was lying to herself. Ever since she first saw him, she thought he was handsome. Time had only helped.

"Read." He ignored her verbal jab and held the phone up for her to see.

Focusing on the little screen, Yuffie's brown eyes tracked the words. She lifted her hand to scroll down and down to read apologies and remorse from a twenty-one year old to a twelve year old.

"You really are a loli-perv."

"Was," Rufus corrected and took the risk to snag Yuffie's waist. "You were important and precious to me back then; you gave me direction and purpose. But now, I love you for who you've become."

"You don't know me," Yuffie retorted, but didn't pull away completely. "How can you say such careless things about affection when you don't even know me?"

"Ah, you're right," Rufus breathed as he peered down at Yuffie. "But I want to. I want to know about you. I want to know if you still like pickled plums and the sunset over Da Chau. I want to know if you still get motion sickness and if you still love chocobos and cats. I wonder if you still prefer baths over showers. I want to know if you had any boyfriends. I want to know all the places you've gone, all the skills you've learned. I want to know if your cooking has gotten better."

Staring up as Rufus listed things in his deep, melodious voice, Yuffie found that she missed him. Even though their relationship was vastly confined to messages on the phone, Yuffie had grown acutely attached to him as a person, not just as an informant.

"I also want to know what you were thinking when you called for the med-heli after Diamond Weapon attacked Midgar. I want to know if you hate me for being alive still. I want to know if you always hated me or if it was because I disappeared and abandoned you. And I want to know if you want to know about me, too."

"Uh," Yuffie hesitated, blinking rapidly at the intense stare that bore down on her, pressuring her to answer. "Wait, weren't you unconscious when you were pulled from the building? How did you know I called a med-heli?"

"I heard you."

"How did you know my voice? We hadn't spoken in years. My voice sounds different."

Rufus shook his head. "I could tell. It could have only been you. I was upset that you sounded panicked. I didn't want you to worry."

"I didn't," she lied smoothly. Truthfully, she had. And after Meteorfall and the world settled and news of his disappearance reached her, all Yuffie could think was that he had abandoned her again. "I didn't worry."

"Really?" Rufus shifted closer, pulling her against him. "If that's true, then I would be glad. I worried about you a lot… When I could think of anything clearly."

His eyes glazed over and he was suddenly very far away even though Yuffie was still in his arms.

"Rufus?" Yuffie didn't like the deathly stillness in his face or the frozen grip of his arm. She gripped his shirt and tugged. "Hey, Rufus, you're scaring me."

He inhaled, but it was shaky and his eyes still didn't refocus on her.

"Rufus, come back." She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. Leaning into him, she listened to his erratic heartbeat and started humming an old Wutai song. It was a lullaby of sorts, meant to conjure up images of vast open spaces and calm, warm breezes. It spoke of fresh air and freedom and all the wonders the world had to offer. It was a song Yuffie learned from her mother back when she was a young child and she used to sing it to herself to stay calm once her mother died and she was afraid to sleep.

Slowly, like an ice cube in Costa del Sol, Rufus melted into Yuffie. His head dropped atop hers and his arms wrapped tighter around her carefully. "You were singing that the first time I saw you."

"Huh?" Yuffie pondered. She was seven when she first met Rufus, during the Wutai War. Rufus was not even Vice President yet, but as son of the President who came to Wutai in attempt to negotiate Wutai's surrender. As the daughter of the leader of Wutai, Yuffie was forced to represent her nation alongside Godo and Kasumi Kisaragi. "But, I wasn't singing when we met."

"I saw you in the garden before you came in. I was surprised that a cherry tree was blooming so early. It was still only February," Rufus recalled as he fiddled with the end of Yuffie's headband and gave it a light tug. "That might have been the only time I saw you without this."

"You remembered something like that?"

Rufus nodded, rubbing his cheek over the silk of her hair. "To me, that memory is what Wutai means to me. The scenery, the song, you; both you appearance and your purity. I wanted to protect that. To cherish that specialness that you showed me Wutai has to offer. I guess, I wanted to protect you. If I could do that, save you, then I felt like Wutai would never truly lose to Shin-Ra. Stupid of me, isn't it?"

"Yeah, you're really stupid," Yuffie confirmed and wrapped her arms around him and tilted her head down on his chest so he couldn't see her embarrassment.

* * *

Author's Note:

Piece of trivia, Kisaragi is a term used to reference February. I did not know this at the time I wrote this portion. I wanted a flowering tree that bloomed in early spring, and February is still winter, and I just thought it interesting that there was a coincidence of the month I chose and Yuffie's last name.

Originally, I had picked the month because that was when the Wutai War ended, but due to the actual timeline, I had to move it to when the war was still ongoing, but I kept the month the same or else this whole interlude would have been cut.


	7. Chapter 7

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Seven:

"You know? You're a pain in the ass," Yuffie said, her voice muffled in his chest. "But I'm glad you're alive."

Rufus shifted, but only to resettle his hold on Yuffie. "I am glad that I can start to repay for all I owe. There is a large debt and I feel I will be unable to give back all that is due before I die."

"Are you sick?" Yuffie pulled back, startled by his ominous words and started patting him down as if she could feel his illness.

"No?" Rufus was confused.

"You make it sound like you're going to die soon," Yuffie complained, pounding his chest a little harder than necessary.

"No, that's just how much I need to atone. Even if I live to be a hundred, it's not enough. Ow! What now?"

"I'm tired of hearing people say they have to atone for sins or carry the burden of their mistakes. Cloud, Vinnie, Cid… Yuri. Guilt… is something we all have. But it shouldn't devour our lives. Even I…" Yuffie paused, tears glistening in her eyes before she shook her head and forged on, "Even I have guilt weighing on me, but it isn't the only reason why I live on; why I do the things I do. There's so many other things to live for."

"Like what?" Rufus asked softly.

"Like… enjoying simple things. Good food, a sunset, or being with friends and pets. Working together with colleagues to a shared goal," Yuffie suggested.

"Like falling in love and sharing a life?" Rufus asked.

"Yea, I guess some people do that." Yuffie shifted her weight back, trying to break from his hold.

"I let them brainwash me into not caring." Rufus released Yuffie and turned his head aside in shame. "They caught me helping AVALANCHE. They knew I had contacted you. I… had no means of contacting the outside world any more. All information was filtered before it reached me. They told me you were dead."

Yuffie watched him clench his fists and shut his eyes. He swallowed tightly before continuing.

"I was so angry and sad and they fed my guilt. I thought, if only I hadn't loved you, then you would not have been killed. They told me lies about how they lured you out with a message from me and shot you. In my grief and confusion, I started to think that nothing mattered other than getting power. The power of the presidency. Fear ruled me, drove my decisions and actions. I knew fear to be a powerful way to control people and I was going to use it to rule the world in my grief."

"That's insane."

A sad laugh bit out of Rufus. "Yes, it is. I was always aiming for the top for one reason or another. But it didn't turn out the way I thought by the time I got it. When I heard you were dead, do you know what I asked them?"

Rufus turned to see Yuffie shaking her head in silent anticipation.

"Then why do I have to live?"

Wincing at his soft voice, Yuffie almost reached out to him to prove she was alive. But her hand dropped halfway.

"You're right, Yuffie. I don't know you. And who I love might not exist. I love the idea of being able to love you. It was an absolute delusion until I saw you in Junon boarding my ship. I thought I had gone completely insane. Heidegger's laugh didn't help any. But then, it was you. And I didn't know how to feel."

Junon, when the AVALANCHE team snuck aboard Rufus' ship while on 'Sephiroth's' trail. Yuffie and the others had stolen SOLDIER and sailor uniforms to infiltrate the large vessel heading to Costa del Sol.

"We were disguised."

"You were dressed as a sailor. What sailor gets seasick?" Rufus mused wryly. Then he fell silent.

Peering up at him, Yuffie saw a sadness she had never seen before. "Rufus?"

He shook his head. "Sorry, I suppose reality is just hitting me harder than I thought."

"Pfft, what?" Yuffie put her fists to her hips and accused him, "Are you going to give up on loving me so easily?"

"I don't deserve you. I don't deserve to even try and chase after you. Maybe I don't deserve anyone at all-"

Yuffie's hands slapped both of his cheeks as she held his face. He winced from the surprise impact, but gave no other reaction.

"No self-wallowing. I won't allow it." Yuffie glared at him. "I've decided; only I can make you sad."

"What?"

"I own your sadness. You can't be sad for anything I don't approve."

"What does that even mean, Yuffie?"

"I'm the only one who can make you sad! Not anyone or anything else. Be angry at the past, be happy with your friends, but the only thing you are allowed to be sad about is me not being yours," Yuffie squished his cheeks, making his lips pucker. She leaned up, kissed him solidly, and whispered, "Yet."

"Yuffie," Rufus said, "I can't tell if you're messing with me or not."

Laughing as she continued squishing and rolling his face in her hands, Yuffie answered, "If I told you, there'd be no fun, would there? You'll just have to pursue me. Or is President Shinra the kind of man who gives up?"

"Who says I'm giving up?"

"Not me." Yuffie grinned. "Work hard to seduce me, Mr. President."

"I have your permission?" Rufus snuck his arms around her waist and dragged her close.

"I… uh… Yeah! But don't get cocky, cuz I still hate you and everything," Yuffie barked, reminding both him and herself, as she pinched his cheeks.

"Hm?" Rufus pressed her closer. "Too late, don't you think?"

Yuffie flushed redder than a Hedgehog Pie when she felt, rather than cognitively understood, his meaning. A yelp escaped her as Rufus pinched her cheek in retribution, but not one on her face, and she rubbed against him to escape his torturous fingers.

"Rufus, you loli-perv, stop it!"

"You're a grown woman, Yuffie. Nothing Lolita about this."

"Fine, then you're satisfied to be called a pervert?" Yuffie debated on what to do. Being stuck between a rock and a hard place was nothing compared to being between a groping hand and a hard on. And she wasn't sure she wanted to move either as her primal urges brought her suppressed real feelings to the surface.

"I can handle that," Rufus teased and gave her a light pat on her rear before letting her go.

She sighed in disappointment, then punched him in the gut for good measure.

"Stupid head!" Yuffie stuck out her tongue and ran out of the house as if he just cast Firaga on her. Once free from the building she whispered to herself, "Holy Leviathan, what did I just do?"

Turning a corner into a shadowed alleyway, Yuffie pressed her fingers to her lips where she could still feel the lingering pressure from the kiss she forced on Rufus.

"Oh, Gawd, I still love him."

* * *

Author's Note:

Thank you to all my reviewers! Reading your responses makes me smile!


	8. Chapter 8

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Eight:

"Auntie Yuffie is here!" Marlene sang as Yuffie intruded into the Strife household.

After a full two days of solitude with her internal turmoil, Yuffie asked Tifa if she could join them for a family dinner to distract herself from the mental hauntings of the blond president. Without her usual outlet of physical activities, Yuffie was forced to remain in the discomfort of her thoughts. Even meditating didn't help. Nor did binging on ice cream and chocolate.

"I'm barging in!" Yuffie called out. "I brought salad and dessert!"

"Annie Yuu!"

"Oh! Rosa, you've gotten so big!" Yuffie squealed and bundled the blonde, barely three year old, into her arms. "What did you do today?"

"Dribe!"

"Oh, did Papa take you for a drive?" Yuffie made motorcycle sounds and tilted the girl on her lap, eliciting raucous giggles from Rosa.

"Me, too! Me, too!" Wolfe tottered over and tried to push Rosa off Yuffie's lap.

"No!" Rosa shoved back.

"Stop, stop, both of you," Yuffie pulled them apart. "Rosa, you had your turn, so it's fair for Wolfe to have a turn, too. But, Wolfe, you cannot push people, you have to ask. Can you two share Auntie Yuffie?" she asked the wide-eyed children.

"Shiair?" Wolfe asked, his brown spikes wobbling as he tilted his head. "Woesa, shiair Annie Yuu?"

"Shiair wif Woof."

Wolfe beamed at his sister as he climbed into Yuffie's vacated lap. Cloud and Denzel came over to chat with Yuffie as she helped the children stack blocks into a tower until Tifa called them over to the table.

"Let's wash hands first," Yuffie said as the kids ran for their chairs, then detoured for the sink.

"How is it, that childish Yuffie, is so good with kids?" Cloud asked once everyone was seated.

"Huh? You are you calling 'childish'? _I_ am the Great Ninja, the Single White Rose of Wutai. Also, I ran the health clinic a few years back to handle Geostigma and before I was always visiting the kids during the war. As daughter of the chief, I had to help them relax without parents or adults around. Handling the twins just comes from that, I guess." Yuffie cut up Rosa's food into smaller pieces before putting the plate in front of the hungry girl. "I've always been able to handle children. It's other people I have problems with."

"Oh? Does Yuffie have someone she's having a difficult time handling?" Tifa perked up and winked at the younger woman.

"Probably people at work, right? Some assignment?"

"No, no, it's got to be a lover, right?"

Both Cloud and Tifa turned to stare at Yuffie.

"Is it Vincent?" Denzel asked.

"No! And elbows off the table, young man," Yuffie rebuffed immediately.

"But you two get along so well," Marlene chirped.

"We're field comrades. And just because we get along doesn't mean we're romantically attracted to each other." Yuffie munched on a lettuce leaf angrily.

"So you are romantically attracted to someo—Wolfe, slow down," Tifa derailed herself as Wolfe tried shoveling several spoons of food into his mouth at once like his father.

"Uh, so Cloud, any news about Cid and Shera?"

"Baby number three, right? Last I heard it was going to be another girl."

"Cid's genes aren't strong are they? He's going to be surrounded by mini-Sheras," Yuffie redirected the conversation away from herself. At least while Marlene and Denzel were still around.

"Marlene, Denzel, can you prep the bar for me?" Tifa asked as the meal wrapped up.

"Sure, Tifa!" The older kids put their dishes in the sink and raced downstairs.

"Cloud, can you give the twins their bath?" Tifa didn't really have to ask, as Cloud was already corralling their kids towards that bathroom. When they were alone in the kitchen, Tifa asked, "So, if it isn't Vincent, who is it?"

"Does everyone think there's something between me Vinnie and me?" Yuffie wailed. It was unbelievable. She trusted him; more than anyone else to have her back in a mission. He was someone she considered a friend, but nothing more.

"Well, you did give him a nickname."

"You've all got nicknames, Boobs. Spike, Right-Hand, Cranky-legged Old Man, Fur-ball, and Vinnie. Alright, fine, so Cait Sith is just shortened, but he's a robot, he doesn't count," Yuffie argued.

"Alright, alright, it isn't Vincent. Whoever it is, is he giving you a hard time? Shall we go beat him up?" Tifa cracked her knuckles menacingly.

"No, he's not. Or rather, I think I'm the one bullying him right now?" Remembering his final actions, Yuffie shook her head, "No, I think he might have the upper hand."

"Um, Yuffie, are you competing with your boyfriend?"

The dishes clattered as Yuffie's grip faltered as she was setting them down in the cupboard. "B-Bo-Boyfriend? He is so _not_ a boyfriend. He's a… super loli-perv extraordinaire. Definitely… not…"

"Loli… what? Is he making you do strange things? You look young; does he have some gross fetish he's forcing on you?" Tifa dripped water as she grabbed Yuffie's shoulders.

"No, nothing like that."

"Oh god, he's ignoring you for someone younger, isn't he? That's why you're upset? He's ignoring you and targeting some minor, isn't he?"

"No! Tifa, stop. Your imagination is all over the place. He said he likes me. Or that he wants to know me… The me I am now."

Cocking her head in confusion, Tifa asked, "This is someone you knew from before?"

"Yeah, from when I was a kid."

"I didn't know there were Wutaians in Edge. They still haven't moved around much."

"He's… not from Wutai."

Wide red eyes stared down into Yuffie's brown ones as that information filtered and clicked in what it meant.

"He worked for Shin-Ra Company?"

"Works… present tense… and not really 'for' so much as… 'is'?" Yuffie supplied hesitantly. Then yelped as Tifa's grip tightened. "Ow! Teefs, crushing me here!"

"Oh! Sorry." Releasing Yuffie, Tifa stepped back. With a furtive glance down the hall to where Cloud was wrangling the two children into cleanliness, Tifa confirmed, "It's Rufus, isn't it?"

Yuffie nodded and hung her head. She was afraid of hurting her friends, but they were the ones she should talk to about these sorts of things.

"And you like him, too? He's not pushing you or threatening you?"

Shaking her head vigorously so her hair hit her cheeks, Yuffie said, "He's not threatening me. He's only ever tried to help me. In his own way. I mucked things up back when I didn't know he was sending people to protect me. That's a long story, don't ask. I was angry because he suddenly stopped messaging me. I didn't know he was caught for helping AVALANCHE. And when he came back, everything was a mess, him, Sephiroth, Meteorfall."

Tifa was having a hard time following Yuffie's words. For being as chatty as she was, the ninja never spoke about herself. And if she did, it was a snippet that was easily cast aside as if it were frivolous.

"Yuffie, I don't get it all, and you never seem to want to reveal everything, and that's fine. But, it sounds like there's something stopping you from just doing what you want; like you normally do. What's wrong?" Tifa nudged Yuffie's chin up with a soapy finger.

"I don't want to hurt you guys."

"So it's okay to hurt yourself? It's okay to hurt Rufus instead?" Tifa shook Yuffie's chin.

"No. I don't want anyone to be hurt," Yuffie sniffled.

"Someone is bound to be hurt at some point, Yuffs. You can't protect everyone. Thank you for thinking of us, but you know we want you to be happy, too. We might not know everything between you two, but outsiders can never really understand what's between lovers, right?" Tifa wiped away a tear sliding down Yuffie's cheek. "I support you, Yuffie. Whomever you love."

* * *

Author's note:

Did you know: "blond" refers to males and "blonde" refers to females? That's why Rufus is 'blond' and Rosa is 'blonde'. And now the word blond looks funny, doesn't it?


	9. Chapter 9

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Nine:

"Is she okay?" Cloud whispered to his wife as Yuffie told bedtime stories to the twins in the Wutaian dialect. "Her eyes were red like a Jumping."

"She's a girl in love. A few tears are necessary. I remember shedding quite a few myself," Tifa recalled as she returned to the dishes.

"I know those were my fault, I'm sorry, Teef." Cloud hugged her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm going to check on the bar."

"Hey, Cloud?"

"Hm?"

"You'll be on Yuffie's side, right?"

"Of course, we're friends, aren't we?"

Tifa smiled and nodded in relief to his immediate, unwavering response. Hearing him descend to the bar, Tifa whispered, "Thank you, Aerith, for helping."

"Hey, Teef? The kids are asleep. Do you want help finishing up here or is it okay if I head out?"

"Are you going to see him?"

"Yeah."

"Buy condoms on your way over. There's no guarantee that he has any."

Yuffie blanched at Tifa's comment and tried to splutter out some sort of response, but was overrun as Tifa continued.

"Also, be careful of your injuries. I figure you went to Aerith's church, but you shouldn't strain your arms. Also, it's okay to say 'no' at any time. And—"

"Tifa, stop, that's enough. I get it," Yuffie finally managed to edge in. She was beet red as if she just chugged a Hyper and entered a Fury status. "I'm not going to get laid."

"That doesn't mean that you won't end up in his bed. Or floor or wherever he wants you. I mean, I know first-hand how hard it is to refuse a blond haired, blue-eyed hottie," Tifa sighed with a faraway gaze.

"I await the happy news of your next pregnancy," Yuffie drawled snarkily. Coming up behind Tifa and giving the pugilist a hug, Yuffie whispered, "Thanks, Tifa."

"You're welcome, Yuffie. Good luck."

Yuffie grinned and ran downstairs where the bar was already busy with their regulars.

"Marlene, thank you," Yuffie said, squeezing the girl in a hug before running out the door.

"What was that for?" Denzel asked as he dried a glass.

"I guess my suggestion helped?" Marlene smiled and turned to serve a new customer.

Yuffie ran across town, dodging the night traffic as people walked home from a long day at work. In a sea of sluggish movement, Yuffie was a blur as she bobbed and wove through bodies. Several people stopped after she passed to wonder if they actually saw something or if their exhaustion was playing tricks on their minds.

Twenty minutes and a few rooftop jumps later, Yuffie approached the edge of Rufus' residential district. Her arms ached from the strain of the run and she hissed as she slowed to a walk and felt the throbbing in her cuts.

Knocking on his door, she waited for him to open it for her. It cracked open and she saw him in the sliver as he peered down at her. Obviously, he knew it was her from his video surveillance, so his reaction was because it was her, not because he was always cautious.

"Whatcha doing?" Yuffie stuck her face in the cracked opening. "Did you have dinner? I ate with the Strifes, but I'll accompany you."

"What are you doing here, Yuffie?"

"Well, I know you're busy, so I'm making myself available so you can seduce me into loving you," Yuffie offered amiably. "Can I come in? I ran all the way here and my arms are hurting."

She nearly pitched in as the door jerked away and Rufus pulled her inside to check her injuries.

"Ah, Rufus, wait, it's fine."

"You just said they hurt," Rufus snapped as he carefully ran his hands over the bandages.

Giggling, Yuffie relaxed to Rufus' touch. As focused as he was, stroking her wounds, he failed to notice his looming predicament until Yuffie kicked the door closed.

"Uh, Yuffie, what are you doing?" The door clicked as Yuffie locked it and Rufus stepped back as she stepped closer. "I can't check your injuries if you're this close."

"Hm? But my injuries are fine," Yuffie commented as she snuck in closer. "Rufus, can I tell you a secret?"

"What?" Rufus' back hit a wall as Yuffie cornered him.

"I hate you—"

"I know."

"Don't interrupt," Yuffie chastised him with a poke to his sternum. "I hate you because I love you, you insufferable bastard."

"Do you insult everybody you love?" Rufus turned his head in a pathetic attempt to hide.

"I dunno. I only love you." Yuffie tilted her head to follow his. "Hey, why won't you look at me? I thought you said you love me."

"It's embarrassing. You're too close."

"We were closer the other day when you were grabbing my ass," Yuffie reminded him. "What's the matter, Rufus? What changed? Did I disillusion you when you saw me up close?"

"No, Yuffie," Rufus refuted and petted her head. "I'm just afraid."

Blinking up at his bold confession, Yuffie saw a blush creeping up from his neck. "Tell me?" She slid her hand into his and pulled him over to the couch.

"Ah, where are you sitting?"

"On your lap, so you don't run away. Obviously." Yuffie straddled his legs after pushing him to the less than comfortable seat. "Is it because of what I said?"

"Partially. If you truly hated me that much, then there would be no chance to persuade you. I wasn't even sure if you would even believe me, let alone accept me." Rufus lowered his gaze to Yuffie's shoulder, unwilling to fully turn away. "I don't know what I would do this time."

"This time?" Yuffie was confused and a bit jealous. Who in Rufus' life caused a premise for him to be so insecure about receiving love?

"Ah, did you know? The former President had two sons before me? Their mothers were girls at the Honey Bee Inn. They were paid off handsomely and the two sons eventually had jobs at Shin-Ra Company." As he spoke, Rufus' hands slid to Yuffie's legs where he started tracing random designs on her smooth skin. "My mother was his wife. Probably the only woman he didn't pay money to receive attention. But once she became pregnant with me, he started going back to the Honey Bee Inn and other places. Even after I was born, he didn't love her like before. She used to love me, then she hated me as I got older. She blamed me for his negligence to her. Since she was always looking at him, I thought if I became President, she would look at me, too."

A bite of bitterness seeped into Rufus' tone and Yuffie felt her eyes droop. She had no idea. But of course she didn't. He never showed any emotion before. Yuffie heard that Aerith once said there was a rumor that no one had ever seen Rufus Shinra bleed or cry. And yet, there Yuffie sat, listening to the story of a lonely boy whose own mother ignored him.

Reaching up, Yuffie tentatively pressed her fingers to Rufus' cheek. He leaned into her lightly and sighed.

"My mother was actually still alive until Diamond Weapon attacked Midgar. She was alive while I was President, but you know? She still couldn't love me at all."

"Rufus…"

"I'm not telling you to get pity. I'm just saying, last time something like this happened, I became a power-hungry, manipulative back-stabber, who, when caught, became worse. It seems like I went to extremes to fill the void."

"She was your mother. And you just wanted her attention for so long. It makes sense that you escalated," Yuffie justified for him as she thumbed over his cheekbone.

"Yes," Rufus relented. "But what would I do if it were my romantic interest who ignored me? That's what got me afraid; what would I become?"

"I know something and I'm going to share it with you," Yuffie whispered and pressed her nose against his. "You don't have to worry about me not loving you, because I do. I love you lots. And the things you do worry about, you can share with me and we'll figure out how to deal with it together. Starting with," Yuffie breathed against his lips, "how you plan on making up for leaving me alone for so many years."

"Yuffie."

"Hm?"

"Even if it's pity, I'm going to take advantage of you."

"Please do."

Rufus delved in to press his lips to her waiting ones.


	10. Chapter 10

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-Enix

Chapter Ten:

Yuffie was sure she was floating. Or maybe she was sinking. Even though she gave him a kiss before, this was an entirely new sensation. Her mind was blank. All she could feel was Rufus. His legs she sat on, his fingers in her hair, his tongue sliding against hers.

Knowing she was bright red with embarrassment, Yuffie hid her face as soon as Rufus pulled away to try and regain some air.

"It's not pity." Feeling Rufus' hands travel up to her exposed waist, Yuffie wondered with the multitude of paths she could take to convince him. "There are no roses on Wutai. Did you know that?" Yuffie peeked through her fingers and when she saw Rufus silently quirk his brow at her, she threw down her hands in a burst of energy. "When my mother died, I received a white rose. There are no roses on Wutai, so I knew it came from someone outside. I was really sad, but the flower was so pristine and calm and it helped me in my sorrow. I only started calling myself the White Rose of Wutai after I came here and found it had a meaning. It has connotations like purity and innocence, but also sympathy. I also read that a single white rose can mean 'pure feelings'. That," Yuffie huffed, "was when I knew I was already in love with you."

Rufus frowned. "I didn't send any rose."

"It doesn't matter if you didn't. I thought you were the one who actually sent it, and because I did, I found out that I already had strong attachments to someone I only met once years before because I wanted it to be you," Yuffie rushed out. Kasumi had died protecting Yuffie from a Shin-Ra attack, something she would not have had to do if Yuffie had done as she was told and stay in the fortress. News was bound to reach Rufus about the death of Lady Kisaragi, or so Yuffie thought when she saw the blossom in her room. She had found solace in the flower and had immediately thought of the man she met once, who, even though he was the enemy and several years her senior, still treated her politely and even offered her the sweets that came with his tea. Deflated, Yuffie returned to the present and asked, "You didn't?"

"I absolutely sent it to you, Yuffie," he rescinded his lie and kissed her again, so deeply that she couldn't respond for another long minute. "I did that to remind myself to have pure thoughts about you." Rufus tugged her hips and Yuffie slid closer on his lap. "I kept a white rose on my desk, even during my arrest; it was my only request. Since we didn't see each other or speak directly, I forgot about our age difference."

Nodding in agreement, Yuffie recalled a vague notion as a child that Rufus was older, practically an adult, but without seeing him, it all melded into a nonspecific gap.

"When I heard about Kasumi's death, I worried about you. The stress of being Godo's daughter would only increase without your mother around. But, I couldn't contact you."

"Thank you, Rufus," Yuffie kissed his cheek. "I still have it. I pressed it to preserve it."

"I can give you more, if you'd like."

"I prefer Materia, if we're talking gifts."

"How about restoring Wutai's autonomous state and honor?"

"I like shiny things."

"I'll buy you a new shuriken and some roses," Rufus compromised and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"Um, hey, Rufus? Are we going too fast?"

"What do you mean?" His hands were half under her shirt and he was kissing his way down her neck, leaving small love bites along the way.

"Uh, can I tell you another secret?"

"You can tell me anything, Princess."

"I've never been with a guy before."

Rufus paused. His hands had already pushed her shirt over her breasts to show off her sensible, supportive bra, and was snaking back to unclasp it. He looked up at her to gauge the truth and saw a slightly panicked expression. With his lips on her collarbone, he could feel her erratic heartbeat, but something told him there was more than arousal causing it.

Slowly backing away, Rufus eased her shirt down and lightly kissed his way up to her forehead.

"You're right, Yuffie. I'm sorry. We can take our time." He combed through her hair to calm her. After a minute of silence, he asked, "Really? I thought you and Valentine were—"

"Argh!" Yuffie kissed Rufus angrily, then passionately, to shut him up. "Why do people assume that?"

"You are an interesting pair. Striking. And from what I know, Valentine is a solitary person, but he's always willing to be with you."

"As a partner."

"So, I'm guessing a lot of people say that?"

"And it pisses me off. It should piss Vinnie off, too, but he never shows any emotion, so who really knows?" Yuffie snorted like an Elfadunk spraying water from its trunk-like nose. She dropped her head to Rufus' shoulder and hugged him silently.

"What's wrong, Yuffie?"

"There was someone who used to touch me. He was an instructor of mine for a short time." Yuffie snuggled against Rufus, her arms locking around his shoulders. "It gave me the creeps, but he said he was fixing my stance or helping me aim. I knew he did it on purpose. The lean, the linger. I was glad when I passed Gorki's test and he was told to return to his post for the war."

"Who was he? I'll shoot him myself."

"No need," Yuffie soothed his irate temper. "Shin-Ra launched an attack a week later. He died afterwards."

"I can't say I'm sorry."

"No. But the ironic thing was he survived the attack. He died because he was looting a building and it collapsed on him. I read the whole incident report… he was a real loli-perv and I would have thrown him in jail and cut off his junk if he survived the war."

"I'm sorry you had to experience that," Rufus whispered in her ear and enclosed her in his strong grasp.

"Me, too. But it wasn't because of the war that I was training. All women of the Kisaragi clan are trained to master all sorts of skills." Yuffie chatted away, describing how the rulers were usually the men, but how the family name and the power was passed on through the women.

"What happens now? You are Godo and Kasumi's only child."

"Oh, we've got a back-up plan. I knew I wouldn't take over after Godo. The Geostigma thing was a clincher for me. If they couldn't trust me then, they won't trust me as their leader. So, they're setting up a new, or rather, ancient government. Splitting powers amongst three elected women and committees for the different sections of government. That's how they used to do it waaaay back in the day when Wutai was three tribes, instead of one nation."

"I never knew that."

Yuffie smiled and dismounted from his lap, making him feel cold and abandoned. She didn't let him feel that way for long as she lifted his arm to tuck herself at his side, her actions decidedly feline in nature.

"You remind me of Hyou just now."

"Who or what is Hyou?"

"My cat."

"You… have a cat?" Yuffie looked at him incredulously. "Where is he?"

"Probably sleeping upstairs. Hey, where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go find him," Yuffie said as she darted away from Rufus' lunge. "Hyou! Where are you, Hyou!"

Rufus followed Yuffie upstairs to the bedroom where she was already introducing herself to the now, wide-awake, cat. Watching the girl loll around on his bed like she belonged there, Rufus felt the bottom of his gut give out. He was breathless in awe and desire for that image to be true forever. He pictured a child, one who looked like a blend of them, in addition to Yuffie and the cat. Laughter could fill the house. Happiness too.

"What's wrong, Rufus?" Yuffie leapt off the bed and dusted off her hands on her shorts before cradling his face. "Why are you crying?"

* * *

Author's note:

I based the Wutai "ancient government" of the idea of three Native American tribes, on the USA east coast areas, where they would sometimes work together against larger problems. The women held the more important role as far as deciding on things like going to war (since they are the Mothers and the Wives of warriors). I kinda like the idea, it gives a basis of checks and balances and no one person has a say and there is more consideration going into decisions. This is not part of the FF7 universe.

"Hyou", if you remember, is a black cat. In Japanese "Kuro hyou" is panther. I just used the Hyou part.


	11. Chapter 11

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Thank you, readers and reviewers! Sexy time coming up in this chapter~

Chapter Eleven:

Confused, Rufus touched his face and felt the wet tracks on his skin. He laughed and wrapped his arms around Yuffie.

"This is all a dream, isn't it? I'm going to wake up alone and this will all just be some impossible fantasy."

Yuffie, perfectly positioned in Rufus' embrace, turned her head and bit his neck. When he jerked and yelled in surprise of the reality of the situation, Yuffie said between subsequent bites and sucks, "Don't take my suppressed emotions so lightly, Mr. President!"

"Ah, Yuffie, wait," Rufus tried to pull away, but Yuffie just held on tighter and bit him again. "Yuffie, if you keep doing this, I—ah!"

Climbing onto him like a monkey, Yuffie wrapped her legs around his waist and pressed herself against him. "I take it back."

"What. Take what back?" Rufus panted as he attempted to restrain himself from rubbing against her and tearing her clothes off.

"About going too fast." Her fingers raked through his hair and she stared into his eyes. "I love you, Rufus Shinra. Always have. Always will."

"Really?" Rufus whispered, his eyes still watery, from his natural tears and the ones caused by Yuffie's less than gentle bites.

"Really. And I'll prove it to you, over and over, no matter how long it takes. And I want you to keep trying to make me fall in love with you."

"But if you already love me, why would I have to try to do that?" Rufus frowned at her logic.

"Because!" Yuffie rocked against him, making him groan as she slid against his erection. "You want to keep me, right?"

"I do."

"Then give me your best shot."

Hyou yowled and fled as Rufus threw Yuffie onto the bed. Hissing and meowing, the cat darted from the room before Rufus slammed the door shut. He crawled over the bed and over Yuffie to pin her down with a kiss. "You might regret saying that."

"If it's you, I won't regret anything." Yuffie slid her hands over Rufus and shyly asked, "Just… go gentle on me? This is my first time."

"I'll try," Rufus said, unable to promise anything with certainty. "It might still hurt."

"I trust you," Yuffie gasped as Rufus' hands started to explore her with real intent.

Love was a strange concept to Yuffie. She understood familial and friendship levels of love, but had no basis of understanding romantic love. Her own parents were a terrible example. Kasumi was the daughter of the previous leader and had an arranged marriage with Godo, a strong warrior from a well-respected family in the government. Love was optional in a political marriage and while Yuffie was aware of a level of fondness, she couldn't discern if her parents were in love with each other.

As she rolled under Rufus' touch, Yuffie knew she never imagined having sex with anyone, and that included the man tugging her boots off. Rufus was special. Above the rest, but Yuffie had never imagined being his lover before. When she saw Cid or Barret flipping through porn movies in the hotels they stayed at as they crossed Gaia, she never pictured herself in those scenarios with anyone. But as Rufus peeled her shirt off, Yuffie knew without a doubt, that he was the only one she would have as a partner.

"Yuffie, are you alright?" Rufus asked her as she hid her face.

"I'm fine."

"But you're crying."

"I'm so happy," Yuffie laughed and gasped as Rufus pulled her hands above her head so she couldn't hide. "I'm scared, too, Rufus."

"Me, too, Princess," he confessed. "But we'll be alright."

Yuffie shifted and there was a crackling sound in her pocket.

"What's that?" Rufus moved so Yuffie could dig around for the item she purchased.

"Uh, well, Tifa said I should prepare, just in case, so uh," Yuffie hesitated as she protectively clenched her fist.

"Show me," ordered Rufus.

"I, uh," Yuffie opened her grip, "didn't realize there were so many size options."

"So, how did you decide?" Rufus took the condoms from her hand to peruse the text on the packaging.

"I guessed?"

"Based on what?" Teasingly, Rufus lined the small packets over Yuffie's chest and tucked one into her bra.

"Based on last time when I felt your…"

"Erection? Penis?" Rufus nuzzled her neck. "Cock?"

"Uh, yes. That." Yuffie tried to hide and Rufus let her. Feeling his fingers travel to her waist, she was jolted into looking down as he nonchalantly opened her shorts and tugged them down, making the reality of the situation even sharper than before.

"Ah, Yuffie, you're so beautiful," Rufus approved as his eyes and fingers raked over her body. "I want to see more."

"Greedy," chuckled Yuffie. "I wanna see you, too. Take it off."

"As you wish, Princess." Rufus leaned up and stripped off his shirt.

Clearly being infected by Geostigma left no lingering scars as his broad torso filled Yuffie's vision. She helped him with his belt and pants and giggled as the condom packets fell off her as she took her turn to straddle him.

They played around for a while until Rufus couldn't wait any more. Yuffie watched in fascination as he tore open one of the packets she bought, only to throw it aside after he attempted to roll the condom on. When he leaned over her, she panicked and started to say she didn't want to get pregnant, he laughed and took a box from his nightstand. It took a minute for him to open the new box, then the packet, before rolling the protection onto his impatient erection.

"Next time, I want you to do it," he ordered as he fingered her one more time to check her before positioning himself at her entrance.

Yuffie's breathing hitched and she sucked air through her teeth as Rufus carefully slid in and made himself comfortable. The pain was minor in comparison to her long history of injuries, but it was a new sensation and he had a lot to give her.

"You okay?"

"Fine," Yuffie huffed as her body calibrated to the invasion.

They started slow, but Yuffie quickly wanted more. To which, Rufus was more than happy to provide. They ended up in a sweaty mess of limbs and blankets in the darkness of night. Rufus brushed stray hairs out of Yuffie's bare face, her headband long gone after being used earlier to restrict her thieving fingers.

"Where're'ya going?" mumbled Yuffie as Rufus pulled out of her relaxed grasp.

"To get a washcloth for you. I'll be right back." Kissing her head, Rufus slipped away to quickly clean himself and get a towel to wipe Yuffie.

She was dead asleep when he got back, so Rufus swiped away sweat and sex before fixing her under the blankets properly. He climbed in beside her and felt the most at ease in his life as he drifted into a blissful sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Twelve:

Yuffie woke before dawn like usual. She stretched and winced as she took stock on her sore muscles and reveled in the new sensation of her body. Even though there was some stiffness from the previous night's activities, there was little that registered as pain. There was an acute awareness of her womanhood she never knew before and she smiled giddily as she remembered the various activities that made it feel that way. In the dark, she couldn't see him, so Yuffie chose to snuggle next to Rufus until it got lighter.

When it did, Yuffie studied his serene face. She was sure very few people got to see him so relaxed. Thinking if he had other lovers, Yuffie frowned just as he shifted and opened his eyes. He smiled initially, then drew his brows together as he focused on Yuffie's displeasure.

"Yuffie? What's wrong?" His hand found her waist under the covers.

"Just wondering how many other women have seen your sleeping face after sex." Yuffie flung her face into a pillow to hide. "Never mind, ignore that."

"None."

"I don't believe that."

"Ah, well, uh…" Rufus scratched his head. "There were women, yes, but I never slept overnight. I was the one who left."

Yuffie turned to look at him. Of course he had sex before. His expertise the night before was proof and Yuffie didn't even care about that. "Did you… have any girlfriends?"

"No." And it was the truth. He had, like his father, paid for his companionship. And sometimes, when he was particularly foul to his captors, they sent a woman to him during his house arrest. "I only need one. Though, we could skip straight to a married status, instead."

"Who said I wanted to marry you?" Yuffie put on her best poker face.

"Oh? So I can be your sole lover, but I can't be your husband? Maybe I'll have to persuade you," Rufus rolled onto her and under the covers.

"Ah! Rufus!" Yuffie's squeals of surprise quickly devolved into gasps of arousal before escalating and peaking sharply.

Satisfied with a job well done, Rufus reemerged and kissed Yuffie's open mouth, letting her taste herself. "I meant to say it earlier, Yuffie. Good morning, Princess."

"Good morning, Mr. President," Yuffie panted back. "I hope you're ready for the repercussion of your actions."

Rufus reclined against the pillows as Yuffie pulled back the covers so he could watch her display the skills she learned during the night. With some extra coaching, she had his panting and bucking up to meet her.

"Ah, too much, Yuffie. I'm going to cum," he barked as he tried to pull her off, but she clung to him and drank him down completely. "Haa, Yuffie, you are too much."

"Too much what?" She sat back and licked her lips.

"Too sexy. Come here, I need to hold you," he demanded and opened his arms.

Crawling into his embrace, Yuffie let out a contented sigh.

"It won't always be like this."

"I know, Rufus. I don't expect that we'll have crazy sex all the time. I won't get the wrong idea and get all emotional."

"Not that. Well, not only that," Rufus commented. "I mean between us. I'm still going to be hesitant to believe everything. I'm skeptical, thinking it's all a joke and I'm waiting for you to abandon me with a laugh. I'll still be rude and demanding."

"Oh, so you know you're rude and deman-ow! Don't pinch my boob!" Yuffie swatted his offending hand from her nipple.

"Yes, you're right. Sorry, can't be bruising you more. Though, with all those hickeys, you'll need to wear longer clothes."

"I ain't afraid to show of some love bites," retorted Yuffie as she surveyed her peppered skin.

"You don't own longer clothes."

"Nope! I hate 'em." Yuffie laughed, then hugged him. "Rufus, it's okay to be insecure, but not to the point where you hide or try to leave me. This is all new to me and I'm confused, but I know I'm safe with you and that we're better when we're together."

Rufus squeezed her and Yuffie could feel his insecurities tugging at his emotions.

"Hey, uh, Rufus, you have work today, right?"

"Mhm." He nodded against her head.

"We should shower and clean up before you go."

"Yeah," he sighed and didn't move.

Yuffie gave him a few minutes. As she stroked his arms that held her, she finally took the time to cast her eyes around the room. While his downstairs was bare to the point of agony, there was scarcely any flat space left in his bedroom.

Calligraphy and paintings lined the walls. Lucky cat figurines and little clay ornaments sat on miniature shelves on Wutaian furniture. Rugs, handwoven for the tourists, laid on the floor while a painted screen blocked the sun from shining in. Everything was made in Wutai. Yuffie sat up, much to Rufus' silent dismay.

"Rufus, what is this all about?"

"What is what?"

"Why do you have all this worthless Wutaian tourist trap crap?" Yuffie snapped. She pulled the blanket over her nakedness, her irritation making her want to cover herself from his loving gaze.

"Maybe it was the wrong thing to do, but Shin-Ra made Wutai into what it is today. I have attempted, recently, to give funding and aid to return it to its former lifestyle, but Godo refuses to accept anything. Buying trinkets to help sales is the only thing I can do, personally. And," he looked around, "I know people put a lot of effort to make them, so I can't just turn around and throw them away."

"You don't have to do that kind of thing." Yuffie suddenly felt uncomfortable, like a bubble bursting. She hated being pitied and being treated like a charity case.

Ruffling his hair and turning away, Rufus sighed. Her reaction was completely expected, given her personality and Rufus knew that whatever he said wasn't going to fix it.

"I'm sorry, I've upset you," he mumbled before sliding out of bed and charging for the bathroom. He cranked the shower faucet to full force and stepped under the water before it turned warm.

The door creaked open and Rufus saw Yuffie's silhouette through the shower door. She sat on the counter and confessed over the rush of the water, "I hated Godo after the war was over. I thought his choice to turn our nation into a spectacle was an insult. But I see now that it was the only way we could maintain our heritage at all, given the restrictions we were under."

Rufus scrubbed shampoo into his hair as he listened.

"I went back. With Spike and everyone. And then after Meteorfall. But I was accused of bringing Geostigma to the island and put into solitary quarantine. My own people, my own father, couldn't trust me. They blamed me for using Materia to cure people for the reason why Geostima was spreading. I blacked out every night from drinking nothing but Ethers during the day to have enough MP to cure the people who came to the clinic. Yuri broke me out—"

"Who is Yuri?" Rufus muttered under the fall of water. It wasn't someone from AVALANCHE and she had mentioned the name before.

"—and stuff happened and I haven't gone back since Cloud purged Sephiroth from the Lifestream. I just… don't think I can be comfortable living in a place where they turned against me so quickly." Yuffie kicked her heels against the cabinets beneath her. "I'm sorry about my reaction, Rufus. I've just got a mess in my mind when it comes to Wutai."

"I'm sorry, too," Rufus said and opened the shower door. Beckoning her in, Rufus waited for her to shed his shirt she wore, before joining him in the stream of water. "Are your cuts going to be okay?"

"I'll change the bandages later." Yuffie maneuvered to Rufus' silent instructions as he washed her carefully, noting that she winced as some of her hickeys twinged at the towel scrubbing over them.

"Do you want a Potion to help with the pain?" Rufus asked as they stepped out and he grabbed a clean towel for her.

"No, it's fine. I think the hot water just made them act up," Yuffie hypothesized as she poked at one of the many marks he left on her. She went back to the bedroom and started pulling on her clothes while Rufus went to the closet for fresh ones for himself.

"What would you like me to do, Yuffie?" Rufus pulled on his black turtleneck shirt, hiding all evidence of their amorous activities. "About all this."

Yuffie tracked his sweeping arm movement as he gestured to the decorations in the room. "They're your things in your house. Why ask me?"

"Because it upset you." Rufus pulled on his jacket and sat next to Yuffie as she pulled on her socks. "I want you to be comfortable here. I want you to want to come back. Often."

"It's okay, Rufus," Yuffie decided and started to towel dry his hair. "It's something I need to come to terms with; not something you need to change. Will you forgive me for being irrational?"

"Forgiven," proclaimed Rufus and sealed the case with a kiss. "Breakfast before I go?"


	13. Chapter 13

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Thirteen:

Yuffie hummed a childhood rhyme as she wove through early morning foot traffic. People were too tired to pay the ninja girl any attention, so Yuffie had no qualms about her multiple hickeys that were exposed by her clothing. She had mixed feelings on the endeavor to have a relationship as a whole with their own histories and insecurities, as well as their public images, and the fact that, even though they both agreed they loved each other, they really didn't know anything about the other.

Entering her small apartment on the ground floor of an alley facing building, Yuffie unwrapped her bandages, treated her cuts and the worst of her love bites, and prepared for a boring day with her thoughts.

In the Shin-Ra Company headquarters, Rufus sat in his chair during the morning meeting and sighed.

"I'm sorry, President, am I boring you?" pausing his report, Tseng looked over to his boss.

"Tseng, your grandmother was Wutaian, right?" Rufus zoned out, staring out the window to the overcast sky as a pen slowly twirled between his fingers.

"Yes, President."

"Did she ever return to Wutai after she left to marry?"

"No. They aren't so forgiving about some things. Even if she divorced and went home, life would have been hard on her. Why?" Tseng squinted and analyzed Rufus. "Oh. I see."

"What? What do you see? Wait, lemme guess!" Reno bounced in his seat waving his hand in the air.

"Shut it, Reno!" Elena hit him with a file.

"President, did you have any other questions, or shall I continue the finance report?" Tseng asked.

"Continue," Rufus waved him on and wondered if Yuffie got home safely.

After the meeting, Rufus returned to his desk and checked his phone. He never had to do that at work, since all business calls were routed through the building phones during the day, so his anxiety was an entirely new phenomenon.

A little indicator on his screen showed a new message waiting. He opened it to read:

"Hiya Rufus. Just wanted to let you know, you are a literal pain in my ass. Once of your bites hurts when I sit. Now I have to stand all day. Good job, genius. Aim better next time. –White Rose of Wutai."

Laughing aloud, Rufus typed up a reply and sent it before turning to his work. A few minutes later, his phone received a new message and he opened it anxiously.

"Glad you think my pain is humorous. Work hard, but not too hard, Mr. President."

He replied: "Dinner?"

"Pay attention to work." Then another ping later: "Sure. Nothing fancy, I don't wanna spend money on new clothes right now."

Rufus laughed at her demands and worked. Then spent a considerable amount of time deciding on where to take her for dinner. Elena, surprisingly, was the one who handed him a folder in the middle of the afternoon.

"What's this?"

"Results of a survey of young women on where they want to be taken for first date dinner. You know, just… field research. Because we deal with Intelligence and Information," Elena said haltingly. "Personally, I really liked Jack's Bistro. Good variety, quantity, quality, and decent pricing."

"Thanks." Rufus flipped through the brief summary as Elena escaped back to her real work before he could yell at her for meddling. After a bit of research for himself, Rufus messaged Yuffie the restaurant information and a time to meet up, telling her, "Don't be late."

She was perfectly on time. Rufus almost walked past her since she was wearing a cloak over her usual outfit. The thing that made Rufus stop was her smile when she saw him.

"I'm not late," Yuffie stated triumphantly as Rufus approached. "And I don't even know why you would think I would be late to anything."

"Reeve says you're habitually late to meetings."

"His meetings are boring. If it's something I want to do, I'm never late."

"Oh, so you wanted to come on a date with me?" teased Rufus.

"Yeah," she shot back instantly. "But now you're gonna have to deal with me grilling you about using my boss to spy on me."

They didn't spend too much time on that topic, choosing instead on normal ones. After their meal, Rufus walked Yuffie home.

"Why do you live here?" Rufus knew her pay at the WRO would warrant a larger range of housing opportunities, but Yuffie picked a slummy part of the city where housing was cramped.

"I can keep an eye out better if I'm in the middle of it all. Hey, Anton! How's your mother's cough?" Yuffie spied a boy walking with a bag of groceries across the street.

"Better, Yuffie. That tea you suggested works really well. Thanks!"

"Are you their crime boss or something?" jested Rufus.

"Pfft, naw. I don't get paid to do this. I just made it known that I'm here to help 'em with whatever."

"You fix their lightbulbs?"

"Yup! And fix plumbing, deal with rat extermination; like I said: whatever," Yuffie smiled as she skipped at Rufus' side. "You should probably head back, though. It's late and you smell rich."

"You aren't letting me stay over?" Rufus was insulted.

"Ugh, I'm not an easy lay. You, Mr. President, have to work for it." Yuffie kissed his cheek. "Go home. Message me when you get in."

Rufus attempted to plead with his eyes, but Yuffie shook her head. "I want to go back to work tomorrow. I need my beauty sleep."

"Fine." Rufus caught her waist and kissed her in plain view of everyone in the street. "I'll talk to you later, Princess."

And they did. For a few months, they fell into a rhythm of messaging and meeting up. Sometimes they acted like an average couple, sometimes Rufus spoiled her, and occasionally, once her arms healed, they went out to the fields for long walks and for Yuffie to try out the shuriken Rufus gifted her.

"Hey, Rufus, want me to come over and cook dinner tomorrow?" Yuffie asked as they talked on the phone for their nightly routine. She was drying her hair after her shower and had sudden cravings for homemade food.

"Ah, tomorrow?" Rufus hesitated over the line.

"What? No good?"

"I have an appointment after I leave the office. I don't know how long it'll take. I don't want you waiting for me if I—"

"I can wait. If that's okay. The thing I want to make takes some time anyway. Oh, but if it's after work, you're probably going to have dinner out, huh?" Yuffie flung herself onto her bed. Her kitchen, if it could be called that, wasn't big enough for the cooking she wanted to do.

"You… can use my kitchen. I'll eat some when I get back. If you're sure you're okay with waiting."

"Then… I can use the key you gave me?"

"Yes. Please do not pick the locks anymore."

The next night, Yuffie entered Rufus' house after blowing a kiss to his security camera and started the multistep cooking process to make gyoza. The work was calming, but Yuffie found herself frequently checking over her shoulder with anticipation that had no cause. If he was sneaking off to another lover, Rufus would not invite her to wait at his house. He would employ some other plot if he wanted to maintain a relationship with her and keep other women on the side.

Sighing in the quiet of the large house, Yuffie decided to ask him about it when he got back. Depending on his response, she would have to make a decision on if she was going to continue suspecting him or to end the relationship. Never before did Yuffie realize how taxing it was to be in a relationship. Casting top-tier magic took less mental power than it took to maintain the idea of oneself while taking a partner's emotions into consideration.

Her phone beeped as she cleaned up the midway point of the food preparation. Uncooked gyoza neatly filled a platter and Yuffie put away the last dish before flipping open her phone. Humming happily at his message, Yuffie gave Hyou a pat on the head before firing up the stove to start cooking. Perfect timing.


	14. Chapter 14

A Long Time Coming

A Final Fantasy 7 Rufus/Yuffie Fanfic

Disclaimer: All rights to Square-enix.

Chapter Fourteen:

"Something smells amazing," Rufus said as he walked in. The gyoza came off the pan and Yuffie smiled triumphantly at her masterpiece before hopping over and giving Rufus a hug.

"Welcome home, Mr. President."

"I'm home, Princess. Why are you sniffing me?" Rufus stroked her waist as Yuffie tried to track a scent from him.

"Where'd you go?" Yuffie could smell cigarette smoke and alcohol, but no sweat or sex on him.

"A bar for a meeting."

"Work at a bar?" Yuffie frowned as she studied him. She knew he didn't drink alcohol.

"It… wasn't work," he admitted slowly. His grip tightened as a glint in Yuffie's eyes appeared and she started to lean away. "I met your AVALANCHE friends. They wanted another talk."

"Another? What do you mean?" Yuffie pushed up on her toes to squint at Rufus as if she could garner the truth through squinted eyes.

"How about we sit. I'll explain while we eat."

"While _I_ eat. You're not getting any until I'm satisfied with what I hear." Yuffie pulled free and sat in her seat and brought the whole steaming platter in front of her. "Start talking, Prez."

"A week after you first stayed the night, Strife called me to Seventh Heaven. The whole AVALANCHE gang was there to impress upon me their displeasure of my desire to court you."

"Who told them?" Yuffie asked around a mouthful of food.

"All fingers pointed to Reeve when I asked. But he said Valentine was the one to bring it to his attention." Rufus watched as Yuffie's mouth froze open as she paused in devouring another potsticker.

"Vincent did? Why?"

"He didn't say, but I'm sure it was a mix of hatred for me and concern for you. I will admit," Rufus reached out to touch Yuffie's wrist, "your friends care about you very much. Especially that Marlene girl. I think she threatened me more than Highwind and Wallace combined."

"She's learned it from Tifa," Yuffie supplied. After brief contemplation, she held up the gyoza she just took a bite from as partial payment to Rufus. As he chewed, Yuffie said, "Going back to Vincent; it explains his odd half questions over these past few months."

"Oh? And this is delicious, Yuffie," Rufus praised, but wisely did not attempt to take a piece for himself.

"Thanks. Yeah, occasionally, after I had a day off, Vinnie would ask what I did. He never said anything after I answered, so it was odd, but I just thought he was becoming more sociable. Cait was always annoying, but I guess he's been asking more about what I'm doing after work, too. Spying for Reeve, I guess."

"We made a deal. Your comrades and I," Rufus returned to the main line of their conversation. "To prove I wasn't just playing with you, I promised not to sleep with you for four months. Today's meeting was to announce their acceptance of my affection for you."

Wide eyed, Yuffie processed their interactions. There had been teasing and flirting, banter and arguments, touches and kisses, but never full-on sex again. When she slept over, they spent their time in bed talking and cuddling, but neither escalated to the need for sexual activities. Yuffie wasn't sure why, but it felt just as natural not to have sex as it did when they did want to have it the first time.

"Yuffie, your friends acknowledge me, now I ask it of you. Will you," he stood and moved around the table to her side before turning her and kneeling, "accept my love to be everlasting, in this life and beyond? Will you be my partner to face all sorts of uncertainties and to help guide me when I waver? Yuffie Kisaragi, will you grant me the greatest honor and allow me to be your husband?"

Silver flashed in Rufus' hand as he held up a ring in offering. Metal crafted from Adamantoise shell delicately held an aquamarine orb. Scale-like texture was hammered into the band to resemble Leviathan. It was a tiny ring that Rufus had been wearing on his pinky finger when he arrived home.

Yuffie stared at the ring, then up at Rufus. "That was a lot of questions, Rufus. But yes. To all of it. I want to be your wife."

Rufus reached with his free hand to cradle Yuffie's face as he kissed her. He slid the ring onto her finger and rubbed it carefully. Swallowing tightly, Rufus buried his face into Yuffie's lap, emotions cascading over him, heavier than the Shin-Ra building after Diamond Weapon's attack.

Careful fingers stroked through his hair as Rufus gathered himself enough to look up into Yuffie's beaming face.

"Cheer up, Rufus. We're going to be just fine. Have some more food," she said as she fed him dinner as he continued to kneel at her side.

They ate lightly, then later, they rolled around in bed, teasing each other until Yuffie settled on her back and begged Rufus to make love to her. He obliged. They made soft love that satisfied their lingering desires immediately, but later, after cuddling and talking, they had more intense sessions that left them sweaty and too tired to clean themselves.

"We forgot to use a condom."

"Just that last time. I'm sure it'll be fine, Rufus."

It was fine. In that, when Yuffie discovered she was pregnant, they were fine together. Though Rufus wanted her to quit her field work immediately, Yuffie begged, cajoled, and reasoned that she was still fit enough to go on survey tours after the hostilities had been cleared. Rufus conceded to her point after a negotiation session that included no clothes and the certification that even if she wasn't pregnant before, she could be after that round.

"Only on missions where Valentine's got your back. I don't trust an army with your safety," Rufus finally settled.

"Yay! I love you, Rufus!" Yuffie exclaimed.

Their wedding, which they hadn't even started planning, was a quiet enough affair they decided on quickly. The Turks and AVALANCHE were the attendees and it was held in Aerith's church. Yuffie actually wore a dress and Tifa and Marlene managed to tie Yuffie's hair up enough to weave white roses into her locks.

Rufus and Yuffie exchanged vows and kissed, then there was food and relaxation.

As the months progressed, Yuffie waddled more and relented to the truth and gave up her field supervisor role for a boring desk job. She was happy, though. Every day she would wake up next to Rufus and every night she would fall asleep in his arms. They took care of each other in ways they never knew they needed and it was an exciting new outlook on life for them both.

Insecurities still arose. Both of them worried if they would be good parents, but, in turn, they consoled the other, promising that together, they would do their best. They also had friends to help them along.

Starting the two weeks before her due date, Yuffie spent her whole day at Seventh Heaven where she was always in the company of someone else. Even though Yuffie said she could relax at the WRO headquarters, Rufus, Reeve, and even Vincent, banned her from going to the office. So, instead, Yuffie lounged in the bar in the mixed company of the Strife household.

It was Denzel who called Rufus when the contractions started. The boy had to yell at the President to calm down and to pass the phone to Tseng who was infinitely more rational. By the time Rufus arrived at the hospital, Yuffie was prepped in a delivery room, calm between the painful episodes. Yuffie joked with Rufus saying he looked worse than she did as the contractions started to occur more frequently.

By the end of the early spring day, when the trees were starting to blossom, Akira Shinra, was successfully welcomed to the world. Yuffie, soaked in sweat like after fighting her way through the Northern Crater, still had the energy to cradle both son and husband, giving praises to her boys. She spent a week in recovery at the hospital, before she and Akira returned home to the loving arms of the new father.

That night, as Akira slept in Rufus' arms and Yuffie cradled her husband, Rufus whispered, "I never knew it possible for me to be this happy. Thank you, Yuffie."

"We both earned this, Rufus. It's been a long time coming, but having this now; I don't think I mind the journey so much." Yuffie stroked first Rufus' cheek, then Akira's.

"I love you, Mrs. Shinra."

"I love you more, Mr. President."

The End.

* * *

Author's Notes:

Thank you for reading "A Long Time Coming"! I hope you enjoyed this interlude between Yuffie and Rufus. If you enjoyed it, or any part of it, I would love to read your thoughts! Leave a comment, or choose to favorite so you can find it any time! Thanks again! -LDB


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